Gouda Clay Pipes

The smoking culture and withcoming production of Dutch clay pies was introduced in Gouda in the eraly 17th century by former English mercenaries, who tried to make a new living in theh Netherlands. The first clay pipe craftsmen mentioned in the Gouda archievs is the Englishmen William Baerneltss. He was te founder off the Dutch Gouda clay piping industry, a prosperous industry until the second half of 18th century.

The early Gouda clay pipes had small bowls, in those days tobaco was very expensive. Later on in the second half of the18th century the bowl became bigger as tobaco became cheaper, they also started decorating the bowls of the pipes. There are several different basic shapes of the Gouda clay pipe, we all know best the long pipe also know as "Gouwenaar", smoked by the rich because he was more costly and fragile, the less fortunated smoked often a shorter, less fragile version. The curled version also was very popular, easy to take on the outside of your coat . At Gouda Origial you still find the original Dutch Gouda Clay pipes.